False prize draw Letters headed “Official Payout Notification” told people they were guaranteed to win a prize. They had to ring a hotline to claim. People had to listen to the whole message to find out if they had won a prize. The call cost £6. People were instructed to write in with their claim. Thousands of people did all this, but it appeared none received a prize. A prosecution was brought in this case, but enforcement authorities said it would have been simpler, cheaper and quicker under the new regulations

Aggressive doorstep selling A doorstep salesman scares elderly people into buying a burglar alarm system. Existing legislation is ineffective because it does not cover the inherent unfairness and aggressive nature of the sales technique. The new regulations will combat the pressure sales element of certain doorstep sales, which do not currently constitute a breach of the law.

Misleading actions A trader cold calls consumers. To make them feel secure, he falsely tells them that the products he is selling have been thoroughly tested and approved by a professional institution. This practice is frequently used by rogue doorstep sellers. It will be a lot easier to take action against this and other misleading practices under the new regulations.